FEATURED COMPANIES

Worldwide markets are poised to achieve continuing growth as the aging population worldwide needs homecare oxygen treatment. Older people develop COPD and other respiratory conditions where oxygen is able to improve the quality of the life in a dramatic manner. Portable devices have become affordable and support a mobile lifestyle even while on oxygen.

There has been a quantum improvement in the portable oxygen concentrator technology. Less weight, more power are the characteristics of the new portable units that begin to rival the larger home units. The huge jump in technology is illustrated by the effectiveness of the Inogen G3 and the about to be released VBox Trooper. Innovation started with Inogen One G3 and AirSep's LifeStyle are the less-than-10-pound battery-operated concentrator. AirSep has re-engineered the unit down to a 2 pound device.

Newer portable oxygen concentrators can be used as multipurpose devices.

Oxygen concentrator technology has been instantiated many times over, but in a most compelling manner by Inogen as the Inogen oxygen concentrator which represents a technological breakthrough. The Inogen One G3 is a complete departure from current
mainstream technologies. It represents a shift away from standard large, bulky, stationary concentrator systems and inefficient, heavy, and impractical portable devices.

This transformation presents a new opportunity for people who make PSA oxygen equipment. Economies of scale and a new distribution modality leveraging homecare services are set to change the medical oxygen industry. Home delivery markets tend to be evaporating.

Delivering oxygen cylinders costs money and consumes resources. In current competitive bidding markets, reimbursement for oxygen is down by up to a third. Providers in these markets are compensating for this reduction by moving their oxygen business to a non-delivery model.

Philips medical chronic disease equipment is able to address market trends. Invacare has been a continuing market leader in articulating the benefits of homecare.

The complexion of the home oxygen market is changing as portable concentrators evolve to be smaller and less expensive. The advent of reliable, inexpensive portable home oxygen concentrators has changed the market dynamic significantly.

The market for oxygen concentrators is being disrupted by the portable devices that can be used to provide oxygen under all circumstances. The reimbursement is too low to support what worked in the past. This is a dramatic shift in the home medical oxygen market.

The move from a primary delivery with a cost structure that accounts for truck rolls to a portable device market is set to bring dramatic changes to the industry. For vendors that have relied on the distribution network and financing the distribution network, their hold on the market has shifted.

Oxygen concentrator markets at $242.5 million in 2012 are anticipated to reach $1.9 billion dollars by 2019. Growth is a result of new competitors in the market, demand for the smaller lighter technology by patients, and the market need by for greater mobility support for older people.

Report Methodology

This is the 559th report in a series of primary market research reports that provide forecasts in communications, telecommunications, the Internet, computer, software, telephone equipment, health equipment, and energy. Automated process and significant growth potential are priorities in topic selection. The project leaders take direct responsibility for writing and preparing each report. They have significant experience preparing industry studies. Forecasts are based on primary research and proprietary data bases.

The primary research is conducted by talking to customers, distributors and companies. The survey data is not enough to make accurate assessment of market size, so the authors look at the value of shipments and the average price to achieve market assessments. The author's track record in achieving accuracy is unsurpassed in the industry. We are known for being able to develop accurate market shares and projections. This is their specialty.

The analyst process is concentrated on getting good market numbers. This process involves looking at the markets from several different perspectives, including vendor shipments. The interview process is an essential aspect as well. We do have a lot of granular analysis of the different shipments by vendor in the study and addenda prepared after the study was published if that is appropriate.

Forecasts reflect analysis of the market trends in the segment and related segments. Unit and dollar shipments are analyzed through consideration of dollar volume of each market participant in the segment. Installed base analysis and unit analysis is based on interviews and an information search. Market share analysis includes conversations with key customers of products, industry segment leaders, marketing directors, distributors, leading market participants, opinion leaders, and companies seeking to develop measurable market share.

Over 200 in depth interviews are conducted for each report with a broad range of key participants and industry leaders in the market segment. We establish accurate market forecasts based on economic and market conditions as a base. Use input/output ratios, flow charts, and other economic methods to quantify data. Use in-house analysts who meet stringent quality standards.
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